The Waikato Argus [PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 15, 1901.

Waikato Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1074, 16 October 1901, Page 2

The Waikato Argus [PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 15, 1901.

Circumstances alter cases. It is not many mouths back when the Premier spoke with contempt of Chambers of Commerce as being composed of Tories actuated solely by selfinterest, He also made the attempt to force into the ranks of these bodies any *‘ worker ” who was prepared to pay a small annual subscription. Wo now find him appealing to them for advice ns to what he shall do in the way of retaliation for the proposed federal tariff. It is to be hoped, for the sake of the people of this colony, that a war of tariffs will not be suggested, as the result of such a step is invaiiably to inflict injury, mainly upon the people whose Government raises a difficult if not impassable barrier against the products of any other country, more particularly if it be the case that those products are such as cannot be produced in the country. At a caucus of the supporters of Ministers the Premier suggested that certain imports should be specially used as weapons to punish the Australian colonies for not giving prominence to the interests of New Zealand, and sacrificing those of their own people engaged in producing these articles which New Zealand, under certain conditions, has been in the habit of sending them. Those articles selected by the Premier are coal, sugar, fruits, timber, wines, and furniture. These are nearly all articles which we import, for the main reason that wo cannot produce them ourselves. As regards coal and limber, the former is largely used for blaoksmithing purposes, and for domestic use by people residing at long distances from a coalmine working in the colony. The timber we import is mainly hardwood suited for bridgebuilding and similar purposes. Fruit consists mainly of oranges, which cannot be grown successfully in New Zealand. To increase duties on these articles would exclude them altogether, or result in those who use them paying an additional price to the full extent of the increase in duty. The punishment would fall with ten times the severity on our own people than upon the people of Australia. In 1899 the total imports from New South Wales were valued at £784,201 (including £92,142 for coal). From Victoria the total imports were £407,078. Exports for the same year to New South Wales totalled £1,118,699, and to Victoria, £412,822. Included in the exports to this colony from these two Australian States is a large quantity of goods shipped out of bond, having been previously imported from other countries, so that only the difference between the importing and selling price went to the benefit of the exporting State. There is a tendency on the part of the Government and Press of this colony to get hysterical over the federal tariff, and it is not at all an uncommon thing for individuals and Governments, when they get into this state, to do things in a hurry, which they usually repent of at leisure. We deliberately selected to stand aloof from the Federation and must put up with the consequences. It is the height of silliness to get angry, and, in consequence, do ourselves a shilling’s worth of damage in order to inflict one pennyworth on our neighbours.